AHMEDABAD: The IPL 2023 started over last season when two new clubs joined the league. The Gujarat Titans’ winning the trophy in their first season proved that India had the resources to support 10 teams in the league. As a result, the Titans established a solid reputation, and Hardik Pandya’s strong leadership skills were highlighted.
Friday will mark the tournament’s next new beginning. The event is being played outside a biosecure bubble for the first time since 2019, returning to its home-and-away format. When Hardik’s Titans take the field this evening at a full Narendra Modi Stadium, they will be met by MS Dhoni’s Chennai Super Kings, a stalwart of IPL cricket.
The Titans, who are the defending champions, will be put to the test this season. A reliable replacement for Rohit Sharma as India’s white-ball skipper has been offered by Hardik, giving India some hope. The competition between Hardik, the aspiring leader who MS Dhoni personally trained to play international cricket, and MS Dhoni, India’s most decorated captain, must have the broadcasters salivating. Kane Williamson will be with Hardik this time as well.
Titans did not rely on individual performances to win the championship. They won 12 out of 16 games, dominating the season with cooperation. This sounds just like Dhoni’s blueprint for helping CSK win the IPL four times. Dhoni, the savvy skipper, will aim to improve upon his ninth-place showing from the previous campaign. Moreover, Titans defeated CSK twice in 2022.
With the addition of England Test skipper and top all-arounder Ben Stokes for Rs 16.25 crore, CSK has strengthened their team. The transfer was made to replace the vacuum left by Dwayne Bravo, even though he would probably play the most of the IPL merely as a hitter.
CSK has an opening pair in Devon Conway and Ruturaj Gaikwad that is dependable. In the middle order, Moeen Ali, Ambati Rayudu, Stokes, and Dhoni offer stability as well as powerful hitting ability. The team’s two all-rounders, Stokes and Ravindra Jadeja, provide balance. Jadeja will also be aiming to improve on a lacklustre last campaign in which he was demoted from CSK leadership midway through and suffered a deterioration in his rapport with the CSK management.
This time around, the bowling division appears to be in considerably better condition. After a lengthy rehabilitation programme at the National Cricket Academy, Deepak Chahar, who missed the previous season due to an injury, has returned. He will be eager to play in some games to demonstrate his form and fitness. Another choice CSK has is the cunning left-arm spinner Mitchell Santner from New Zealand.
Shubman Gill will try to enhance his developing reputation as a cricket player on the international stage. The onus will be on captain Pandya and Williamson to guide the middle-order with Rahul Tewatia charged with doing the power-hitting in the later stages of the innings because South African David Miller will be sidelined for at least the first two games.
The bowling assault has bite thanks to the wicket-taking skills of Mohammed Shami and Rashid Khan. Alzarri Joseph and Shivam Mavi are also anticipated to step up.
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